Zoomlion Workers Strike Over Arrears

Some workers of the waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited in the Northern Region have threatened to stop cleaning the Tamale Metropolis due to their six months’ salary arrears owed by the company.

Information gathered by this paper indicated that the women take GH₵89 each as monthly allowance but have not been paid for about six months now, in spite of promises and public announcements by the Zoomlion management that the allowances will be paid.

A worker who spoke to DAILY GUIDE on condition of anonymity said the northern regional management of the company has been subjecting them to all manner of inhuman treatments any time their allowance issue crops up. He charged all the women sweeping the streets to stop doing so with immediate effect until their six months’ arrears are paid to them.

The implications of the women’s actions mean that, cholera is likely to raise its ugly head in Tamale, if they refuse to work. Major streets in the Tamale metropolis will also be inundated with all manner of rubbish and filth.

The women quoted the chairman of Jospong Group of Companies and owner of Zoomlion Company, as having made public statements that he does not owe workers.

They accused the regional management of Zoomlion of diverting their hard earned money into their personal accounts, making them to wallow in abject poverty.

“We were supposed to be paid before this year’s Ramadan fasting so that we can also fast with some money but that did not happen,” the women lamented.

The women have also accused the regional managers of squandering their Christmas and Sallah gifts such as cloths and rice from the Chairman of Zoomlion.

They claimed that, in 2012 they were paid GH₵ 1,500 each as their end of year bonus but they only received GH₵ 100 each.

According to the women, they will not participate in the upcoming elections if officials refuse to come to their aid.

The Northern Regional Manager of Zoomlion, Emmanuel Volsuuri told DAILY GUIDEthat the company owes the women only three months arrears, April, May and June and not six months as the women alleged.

According to him cheques had been signed for the payment of their two months’ salary which they would receive within the week.

“I can say that we only owe them one month now because July has not yet ended and it happened across the country not just in the Northern Region.”

The Executive Director at the end of every year gives out bags of rice and oil for the festive season across board.

He urged the aggrieved women to channel their concerns to him directly or their immediate supervisors for redress.